image Source, Prakash Singh/Bloomberg via Getty Images
CJP founder Abhijeet Deepke reached Delhi from America on Saturday morning. CJP plans to demonstrate on Jantar Mantra. He said about CJP that ‘the movement has to be taken forward with love and peace.’
cockroach is backThe X handle wrote, “Delhi Police has given approval for the protest at Jantar Mantar. Now we can directly gather at Jantar Mantar and the plan for Parliament Street Police Station has not been approved before us.”
The company further wrote, “Cockroaches are coming, Democrat Pradhan is going.”
Earlier, Abhijeet Deepke had written on X, “I have landed. Looking forward to meeting you all at Jantar Mantar soon. Don’t forget to bring the book and our flag along.”
He further wrote, “Fool’s Day to the police forces, it will be a symbol of compassion and peace. We have to carry forward this movement with love and peace.”
What is the chanting on Jantar Mantra?
For Indonesian environmental activist and academic Gir Wangchuk, there was a threat that CJP founder Abhijit Dikke might die at the airport.
However, CJP has posted a picture on his XXX handle in which Abhijeet Dikke is moving from the airport in a pucca car. In this picture, the biography of Baba Saheb Ambedkar is also seen in Deepak’s hand.
Meanwhile, security seems to be tight at Jantar Mantra. However, a crowd of youth is also present there and their beautiful earrings are visible.
A large number of media persons and journalists are also seen at Jantar Mantra.
In this morona, a satirical social media party ‘Cockroach Public Party’ i.e. CJP is entering the real world from the virtual world.
Earlier, CJP had written on XX handle ‘Cockroach is back’, “June 6, 9 am – See you tomorrow, friend cockroach. We will bring the resignation of Democrat Pradhan. Now is the time to turn this small artist into a movement.”
But the date shared from the account on this social media account, which started with a joke and then a meme?
Political theories believe that the number of people attending Delhi on Saturday decides a lot, but one thing is certain that CJP cannot be ruled out.
‘Tourists carrying tricolor, books and flowers’
image Source, @cockroachesback
Cockroach Public Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Deepke was attracted to India on the morning of June 6. A video was posted by CJP’s XX handle ‘Cockroach is Back’, in which information about his event has been given.
CJP spokesperson Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka are seen in this video.
In the video, Saurav Das said, “Abhijeet Deepke will take the baton to Delhi Airport at 8 am. From there he will go to Parliament Street Police Station with other locals. You are most eager to reach there.”
He told that there will be no cooperation and permission for movement from the police there. Saurav Das, on behalf of the Cockroach Janata Party, appealed to maintain peace and protested in a democratic manner.
Ashutosh Ranka appealed to Prashant to carry the flag, quotes and flowers along with his friends as well as his family.
He has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ‘give Dharmendra Pradhan your faith in democracy.’
Earlier, Saurav Das had said that people are welcome in the demonstrations of all political ashrams.
what are constants called
CJP had also said in a tweet on X that “Remember what to do and what not to do. New eyes are on us.”
And potentially unique sights will also be seen on Saturday at the CJP and his appeal to people attending the Parliament Street police station and Jantar Mantar.
There is no dearth of people expressing confidence in CJP on social media. In such a situation, the question is, how long does one have to sink to nominate CJP?
Yadav, a well-known political stable engineer, on May 30, written on x“‘Cockroach Janata Party’ is not a party. It is not something separate from the public. It is not a movement, just a party and that’s what it means.”
“This is a unique glimpse of the energy that can reclaim the republic from dictatorial claim. It is not a wave, but a better current. It would be remiss to ignore it.”
Senior journalist and political observer Smita Sharma says that the most important thing to see will be how many people come on the streets.
He says, “A large number of people are associated with CJP on social media, more than two crore people from Massachusetts are associated with CJP. It would be wrong to expect artists. But if even a few thousand people are near Jantar Mantar, then there will be a need to see this movement.”
image Source, ANI
Senior journalist, writer and politician Rashid Kidwai also feels that a lot will be decided by numbers.
He says, “We have not been able to properly assess social media and their ground impact. Ahmed Patel, who was an associate during the India Against Corruption movement, and Pranab Mukherjee could not understand the sentiments of experienced public politicians.”
“They said it was like a cloud of youth, which is a forest but not a cloud, with wild animals and a lot of remains.”
Kidwai says, “I have met many politicians since the 70s. There was a time when 100,000-200,000 people had come to Pirasha.”
“There used to be big meetings of leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan, Indira Gandhi, Charan Singh, Chandrashek. But after the 90s, the crowd reduced. Now even 50 thousand people have reached, so it is considered a lot.”
“That’s why Saturday will be an important day. If more than 20-25 thousand people gather, I will give them a very important holiday. This also includes youth, which generation of people are participating; this will also be a matter to be seen.”
“Apart from Facebook, Insta,
‘Protest shows that nominations are being taken away’
Rashid Kidwai says, “A lot of conspiracy theories are being created about CJP that America is behind it, Aam Aadmi Party is behind it, BJP is behind it.”
“But I think it’s kind of a mirror to who wants change in politics. And it’s a big challenge for him to not be able to lead.”
Smita Sharma says, “Many people are joining CJP, even efforts are being made on a large scale.”
“It seems that even though this devastation was a sarcasm and started with a meme, it is having an impact. If that doesn’t happen then people will not leave them behind as they are.”
He is saying, “People are saying that you were with the Aam Aadmi Party, hence this is a protest of the Aam Aadmi Party… This is a strange thing. In India, this question should not arise now. Here one leader is with one party, one leader is with another party and the other is with a third party.”
“Those who are raising such questions to spread mistrust in them, they also have to see that thoughts of four-five years are also included. If you see our social media posts four-five years old, they may be different from today.”
He also says that today trolls are being made available to people on social media and they are being used.
He says, “The India Anti Corruption Movement led by Anna Hazare used the technology available then. That pinch technology was used especially on TV.”
“There were big cameras, zimi jibs (camera cranes) installed in Ramlila Maidan, there were journalists and many people from the middle class were there because this aroused curiosity.”
‘I am not interested in democracy’
Who should be chosen in CJP’s demonstration or attempt to demonstrate in Delhi on Saturday morning?
In response to this question, Rashid Kidwai says, “A new chapter can begin in Indian politics. Now see what the government does.”
According to him, “One thing could be that they adopt a repressive approach; if Abhijeet Deepke comes from outside, they arrest him and others. But if the government does otherwise, then it becomes known whether they are supporters of the government or are with their comrades or are just limited to the resignation of the Education Minister.”
“The civil society movement has not been successful anywhere. There is a lot of noise and a lot of criticism but real change does not always happen. This movement on Saturday shows whether the social media movement is public anger or not and also that the same effort is being made.”
But Smita Sharma says, “In the past few East and South Asia, protest movements have also started on social media. Be it the Argalaya movement of Sri Lanka, the youth movement of Bangladesh or the Gen Z project of Nepal.”
“It may be documentary manufacturing that CJP is being given a well-considered look. From what I have spoken to three CJP spokespersons, I have found them to be educated and clear-minded people.”
In such a situation, what is the signal on the street that started with the meme of Cockroach Janata Party?
Rashid Kidwai says, “It is a very good sign for democracy that people express their feelings in different ways. People are not fascinated by democracy, they want to have a new experience. Like they have won in Tamil Nadu.”
“In a big state, both the core DMK and supporters of the entire national sect have wiped out a completely new political party. How far those hopeful of victory will stand is another matter. But the important thing is that a new alternative has emerged.”
A few days ago, in a conversation with BBC Hindi, Ajay Yadav had said, “If in such a great peace, the youth of India are identifying themselves with cockroaches.”
He himself responded by saying, “There is devastation in it, but there is a hope attached to this brokenness, there is a destruction. The hope is that someone should do something good, not for any of them.”
“Just don’t look at it except in the Ambrose expression. Hiding behind that cockroach, hopefully someone will catch the hand of knowledge.”
‘Party’ born from meme
image Source, X/cockroachesback
Cockroach Public Party founder and critic Abhijeet Deepke, while talking to BBC News Marathi, told why he had started CJP.
“I was watching the statement of the CJE (Chief Justice of India) on (now) X, where he was comparing the youth of the country to cockroaches and parasites while criticizing the system and giving opinion,” he said.
“I find this to be a very strange example because the CJE is supposed to be the custodian of the Constitution of the country. The Constitution which gives everyone a semblance of expression.”
“How can a man who is meant to protect the fight for expression compare youth to cockroaches and parasites?”
Deepke said, “It filled me with anger and despair and I expressed my opinion on this on Twitter. I asked what would happen if all the cockroaches came together. I got amazing responses from Gen Z and youth under 25 and they said that we should come together and create a platform.”
“It gave me the idea that we should make a parody party online, called ‘Cockroach Janata Party’. If you are calling us cockroaches then fine, let’s make Cockroach Janata Party.”
“To join this party I have set the eligibility criteria like – You have to be unemployed as CJ said, you have to be unemployed and you have to be constantly online as CJ said.”
Regarding how this sarcastic Spanish became popular, Dickey said, “Then we thought it was going to be big and it just didn’t stop because people got frustrated and we made a website, made a party manifesto.”
He said, “We have more than two million (2 crore 21 lakh) followers on Instagram (now more than 22.1 million (2 crore 21 lakh) followers) and more than two lakh people have registered as members of the Cockroach Janata Party. This is necessary in Indian politics after a long time.”
Published by Tomorrow’s Interview Newsroom for the BBC.